This document discusses how social networking can help people with disabilities overcome barriers to participation. It outlines challenges people with disabilities face in using social networks, including lack of access, discrimination, and lack of accommodations for disabilities. However, technologies are changing and becoming more inclusive, with smartphones, netbooks, social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, and assistive tools making participation more feasible. The document encourages people with disabilities to utilize these technologies and social networks to build community and combat isolation.

1. Social Networking A Tool of Collective Power for Each of Us

2. What Is Social Networking? Getting to Know You (and you, and you, and you, etc.) Social Networks (SN) run on Social Capital, just like financial networks run on monetary capital Social Capital= Trust built on personal relationships and reciprocal exchange Social networks are many, complex, overlapping, and, now, technological

3. PWDs and SNs People with disabilities can become withdrawn from SN’s because of: Lack of Access Discrimination and Stereotypes Lack of Communication Accommodations Personal Changes that occur when a disability is acquired Withdrawal can become a vicious circle

4. PWDs and Technology Persons with disabilities can have difficulty using technology because: Poverty Lack of technology accommodations Lack of access to the internet Lack of training BUT-this is changing

5. Disability-Friendly Technology Smartphones at http://bit.ly/OOAj Can browse the web Can run on Voice Can use text instead of voice Netbooks at http://bit.ly/1kUJEC Less than $400 Can do most anything with built in wireless Light weight; 90% of normal keyboard

6. SN Technologies Social Networking Websites Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ Blogging Blogger at http://www.blogger.com/ Microblogging Twitter at http://twitter.com/ Twitter Clients http://bit.ly/ZVKr Facebook Client at http://seesmic.com/

7. Facebook A Tour of Mine at http://bit.ly/35Y50j Friends Status Updates Groups Profile Requests Games, gifts, and other flair FacebookLite at http://lite.facebook.com/

8. Blogger Blogging is self-publishing Our communities do not blog enough! Blogger is free and easy to use My blogs at http://draft.blogger.com/home Long Term Care Reform The Recovering Life Others Start your own at http://www.blogger.com/

9. Microblogging Twitter is the core example Short messages (140 characters) Can have pics attached (see Twitpic at http://twitpic.com/) Can have Internet Addresses shortened by a service like Bit.ly at http://bit.ly/ Twitter clients for anything at http://bit.ly/2IOfZS See one of mine

10. Seesmic Seesmic is an Aggregator See My Seesmic Other Aggregators Digsby at http://bit.ly/3Nl334 Peoplebrowser at http://my.peoplebrowsr.com/ Tweetdeck at http://tweetdeck.com/beta/ They all vary in services and complexity

11. Other Resources 35 Social Media Tools at http://bit.ly/13LpJ Social Media for Beginners: http://bit.ly/168c4B Social Media Bible at http://bit.ly/1aarh7 Social media and Advocacy at http://bit.ly/UPX4P Government and Social media at http://bit.ly/136KH3

12. My Resources My Twitter Accounts: mdrcngd, commpower FriendFeed: http://friendfeed.com/normandelisle My Blogs: The Recovering Life LTC Reform Communities of Power Universal Education MDRC Website: http://www.copower.org/ Linkedin Profile: http://bit.ly/s1mS Email: ndelisle@prosynergy.org Download This Presentation: http://bit.ly/mX7U3 Comment on this Presentation

13. Final Thoughts Send Comments or Questions on this presentation to ndelisle@prosynergy.org or drop them on one of my social networking accounts I’ll email you a copy of this presentation or you will be able to download it from SlideShare at http://www.slideshare.net/ in a couple of weeks. Any last thoughts?